Yes, theater people are....artistic.

Dh was off today so it became a rest day. The -15 windchill didn't help either. I did go to yoga last night and since tomorrow will again be subzero I plan on going to try an interval training class. Or saying screw it and running anywY. I'm beyond ancy here. Chocolate is ok but chips, nachos, oozy melted cheesy fatty goodness? I'm there.

I haven't read all this but dh refuses to use tech and is nearly a Luddite. It is a truly contentious area of our marriage. Like nearly divorce worthy. For God's sake man, just turn the dumb phone on! Don't count on me to contact everyone you need to tell something. Etc,Etc. A real sore spot for me.

I'm another Pollan fan. Our evolutionary ancestors no doubt ate what was easiest to find. I suspect that was largely plants and seeds with the lucky egg or meat thrown in. What they didn't have were cakes, chips and fries BUT I bet they would have eaten them if they could! I try for 90% real food and 10% " junk". Our problem is a fake good environment and we are trying to control all those biological imperatives that calories are good.

Budget, time, ease and our staggered eating times. Due to activities I am often resorting to a crockpot meal I leave for people to eat as they come in. Frankly, unless I'm seving it dh and kids will alternately buy junk, skip a meal or just have a sandwich. He doesn't watch what the kids eat and will happily let 7 yo eat ice cream if it shuts her up.

Sorry it was a horrible year but welcome. It has warmed up from -8 to 2 but still frosty so I did 4 miles on the treadmill. It was all I could stand. I may go to yoga tonight if I think my back can take it.

Every kid should know to blame their parents. " Because my parents make me." Is it the best answer? No. But if they want to play with these kids it unites them in the " Parents are sooooo mean" battlefield.

I am currently warm while many are sleeping on mission floors tonight. Everything else is gravy.

I never gave this much thought. Um, I'd hope for a machine or a girlfriend to rescue me.

I eat either a banana or Apple with peanut butter for " dessert" most nights. My kids eat string cheese, boiled eggs, beans and tortilla, sandwiches , or soup. Yes, they eat a lot.

Reishy-I felt bad Sat&Sun. Stomach flu is evil. I hope you feel better quickly. It is cold, cold, cold. It is hard to run in 3 layers. Doing church exercise again tonight too. I think I'm their mascot or charm or something. I get these texts asking if I'm coming....weird.

I'll be 52 this month and nada. Maybe my periods are shorter? I think lots of women suffer but not all.

Managed kettle bell and slow run. My back is fine unless I bend over, then it's kinda horrible. So the run didn't hurt but putting on my shoes was killer. :huh:

Happy Birthday Anne :party: The thought of me dancing? Oy, ain't nobody wanna see that. For some reason I woke up with a muscle pull or something in my back. Youch! Can I hurt myself sleeping? Anyway, I shall leave shoveling to the kids and use a heating pad to see if it'll loosen up enough to run or something. Oh and yay on the push ups. I love (sort of) my push ups.

I hear what you are saying about family culture ( or US food culture in general). My family and dh view food as entertainment and love. What has worked for me: I use the Dr said argument often with friends and extended family. They tend not to argue with that. I avoid buffets if possible.(I realize not your choice). At fast food I get a salad with chili or small grilled chicke, it's my " rule". I also avoid sweets and snacks and seconds. I finally realized that there is nothing at the restaurant or buffet that will suddenly stop being made and I can get it another time. The exercise is harder. Possibly get up earlier to walk before dh and FIL go out or your mom gets up? You've done a good job of defining the problem now the trick is to play around to find a solution that will work for you.

A short 3 mile run and then walked a couple more miles on treadmill. It was 1 this morning and supposed to be colder tomorrow. Yuck! The fitness gods and the weather gods need to sync up better. On the bright side I plunged and got a better blendy thingie for smoothies. Lunch is a concoction I'm calling carrot cake.

Mostly sad. New Year always makes me sad. Lots of changes here aren't helping but hopefully by Feb. I'll be back to " normal".

Mostly like every month I'm just trying not to spend. I did rent ds's college books. Ouch! Sun- meatloaf, 2x baked potatoes, carrots, baguette Mon-crockpot veg soup, garlic bread Tue-ravioli, green beans,salad Wed-pork chops and apples, brown rice pilaf, broccoli Thu-chicken and veg quesadillas, corn Fri- individual pizzas, raw veggie and fruit tray Sat-broccoli quinoa soup, ham sandwiches

Cute!

I tend to be minimalist and frugal whether from necessity, nurture or personality I'm not sure. It is like other things, a habit that needs time. Even dd's basketball team mates families have adjusted to us showing up with packed food and a thermos of my ( better than concession stand) coffee.

ROLF from the pasty redheaded runner.

Not what you're looking for but I plan a week at a time taking into account sales. I prefer to plan my own because my dh is not adventurous. I usually cook up a big batch of brown rice, barley, quinoa on the weekend and freeze to have with vegetables as sides. I have done a month at a time. I sort of use a template Mon- crockpot Tue- Italanish - lasagna, spaghetti,Alfredo, ravioli, Wed- traditional- pork chops, stroganoff, chicken and dumplings Thu- mexicanish- tacos, burritos, quesadilla, rice& beans Fri-junk- hamburgers, breaded fish, chicken fingers Sat- leftovers, soup, easy stuff Sun-traditional again-roast chicken, meatloaf, ribs

Felt pretty shaky this morning so just did some yoga-a bunch of sun salutations and flexibility stuff. Hopefully I'll feel more like myself tomorrow and not a weak, shaky invalid.

Good luck to all. I'm continuing with No S and tracking with MyFitnessPal. Over 365 consecutive tracking days. It works.

Hugs and prayers for you all.